Guest list taking shape for Omer library open house

OMER — Saganing Chippewa Indian Tribe representatives and State Sen. Mike Green, R-Mayville, will be appearing in Omer for the grand opening of the Little Eagle’s Nest Library on Friday, Feb. 25.

Members from the Saganing Chippewa Indian Tribe, Green, Omer Mayor Alice Sproule and residents from across Arenac County, will join together to celebrate Omer’s new library. The open house will take place from 2-6 p.m.

Sproule said having Green and tribe members at the ceremony is important for Omer.

“It is important for them to be here and see how much this library means to us,” she said. “The (construction) of the library has been a long time coming.”

The Omer Little Eagle’s Nest Library is a part of the Iosco-Arenac Library system. Sproule said that being a part of the library system broadens the amount of materials available for public access.

“We want to have young adults involved in using this library,” she said.

Sproule said in January that construction on the new library began in 2009 when the city received its first of three allocation grants from the Saginaw-Chippewa Indian Tribe.

“This project has taken about a year and a half,” she said.

Omer received three grants from the tribe totaling $91,086 for construction of the library.

Sproule said it was important to build a new library in the city, near the Arenac Eastern School District.

“We felt like we needed it for our children, and we have a lot of retirees here, and it is hard for them to (travel) to libraries in larger cities,” she said in January.

Sproule said the Omer Little Eagle’s Nest Library will be a good addition to the city, allowing for children’s programs and allowing students to have access to books and data.